Grammar Reference

Conditionals review

Meaning and use

Conditional sentences express a connection between two actions or states. One thing happens because of another. These connections can be general, specific, likely, unlikely, real or imagined.

Although there are quite a few different ways of forming conditional sentences there are common patterns known as zero, first, second and third conditionals.

Zero conditionalsUsed to refer to general truths, scientific facts and the predictable results of particular actions. One thing happens and because of this something else happens. In zero conditionals if and when have the same meaning.

If you heat water enough, it boils.

When he scores, he celebrates by making a heart shape with his hands.

When it’s raining, he stays indoors.

First conditionalsUsed when we want to talk about something that is likely to happen in the future after a specific set of circumstances, the condition. If is used is when the condition is possible and whenis used when the condition is certain to happen.

If I go to the shops, I’ll get some bread. (I might not go to the shops)When I go to the shops, I’ll get some bread. (I’m definitely going to the shops)If you’ve finished your homework by six, you can go out and play.When you’re having your party, please keep the noise down!

Second conditionals Refer to an imagined present result of an unlikely or impossible present condition.

If I had the money, I’d travel around the world. (I don’t have the money)If I were you, I’d think about leaving him. (I’m not you)

Third conditionalsRefer to an imagined past result of something that didn’t happen in the past.

If I had known you were coming, I wouldn’t have prepared the cheese dish.(I didn’t know you were coming. I prepared a cheese dish.)

If I had known then what I know now, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time at university.(I didn’t know then what I know now. I did waste a lot of time at university.)

Form

Conditional sentences usually have two parts. There is the if clause (sometimes called the conditional clause) and the result clause (sometimes called the main clause). The clauses can come in any order.